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2019dclmed · 5 years

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Rome - Tues., May 28, 2019

Rome - Tuesday, May 28, 2019

It was another early morning with a 5:47am alarm for our 7:15am PA call time. By now we had a routine of getting ready, eating our room service, taking seasick pills, and packing our backpacks. The forecast was only 64, but no rain. I donned a plaid dress & navy sweater, but stashed my Lauren hoodie & footies (for the bus) in my bag! Luckily, neither were used.

As a reminder of our chosen Port Adventure:

Vatican Behind the Scenes and Panoramic Drive (CV105)

10 Hours to 10.5 Hours

It was about an hour drive into the city and we were dropped off just outside the Vatican City wall. We were led down a Groups path (FastPass), went through security scanners, and then awaited our tickets. (The regular line wrapped all the way down one of the walls and around the corner. Again, unless you arrive prior to opening or have a tour like ours booked, the wait to just get in would be excessive!)

Then it was upstairs for our radio guides, but it was to hear our personal guide, not the Vatican Museums audio guide. Our group was led out to the Gardens, a blissful escape from the crowds. (As uttered on the Disney Cruise Line Blog Podcast, when at the Vatican be prepared to “pack your patience and give up your personal space!”)

The Gardens (requiring a special ticket or with a tour) are quite hilly with all sorts of cement, cobblestone, and rock pathways. (I was happy my new Chacos conquered it all!) One in our group had mobility issues and opted out of a significant portion of the tour. We were told about the history and meaning behind many of these sites, refurbishment of a considerable monument, and the building to which retired Pope Benedict has retired. This area also provided beautiful natural, quiet, and unobtrusive views of the back of both the St. Peter's Basilica Dome and Sistine Chapel. The numerous gardeners were out and about to the point it felt a bit Disney-esque. We regularly got out of the way of the golf carts and 4-wheelers (that I wanted to commandeer)!

This is Kara - I’ll just add that the Gardens were very pretty - made even more enjoyable by the fact the weather was absolutely perfect. I especially enjoyed Pope Pius IV’s building from 1550 and its sunbathing turtles.

Too soon we returned to the outside public area of Vatican City. We stopped in front of a set of six signs, each explaining different part of the Sistine Chapel. I had not seen this on my previous visit. It gave much needed context to the famous painting we were about to view, so this is highly recommended.

Kara here: I agree completely that without the explanations of these signs or some real preparation for the Sistine Chapel, you’re not going to really get all that much from the experience.

Next we were back inside to another “skip the line” point, but still had to traverse through the expansive galleries. (One in our party lost contact with one or two of their four girls, which caused a delay. FYI - tour guides are not your babysitters!)

We were informed the ceiling art is simply lat painting, but they appear 3D! Talk about masterful historic art techniques! Note what looks like “tape” across the giant crack!

This brought us to yet another “skip the line” into the Sistine Chapel. We were there for only about 10 minutes and it was lighter in there than I recalled.

Kara: The three galleries we passed through were candelabra, maps, and tapestry. The tapestry where Jesus’s eyes follow you - FREAKY! While I tend to enjoy museums like this a little more than Gayle, the Disney Cruise Line Blog should go one step further and say that if you’re an introvert or you actually expect to be able to look at something and enjoy doing so while in the Vatican, you’ve come with the wrong expectations. The next picture truly captures why while I’m glad to have visited the Vatican, unless I’m enjoying a private audience with the Pope, I have no need to return.

From the Sistine Chapel we exited almost directly into St. Peter’s Basilica, where our guide pointed out the key highlights. (I was personally relieved at this. Last time I did the audio guide, and like Westminster, tried to do the whole thing. Yet, the monuments here are great in number and I easily lost track if I was looking at the right thing!) We finished around 1pm and were directed to meet back in front of St. Peter’s by 2:45pm.

Kara: I tend to love visiting churches. I’d go back in a heartbeat to nearly every other church I’ve ever visited. There was absolutely nothing reverent or inspiring for me about the shear audacity and grandiosity of St. Peters.

Knowing of this free time, I’d prepared for us to grab a bite to eat. Employing my offline map we sought out the nearby “Alice” for pizza. I’d searched for “good pizza near the Vatican” since we didn’t have a ton of time and thought Kara needed to experience “street food”. While waiting for Kara to get the pizza from this walk-up restaurant, a pigeon “poo-ed” on my backpack! Luckily I had supplies to clean it, but these birds were really aggressive in trying to snatch our food. On top of this the pizza was bad. Really bad. (I have no idea how this “restaurant” was highly rated.) So I felt guilt for leading us here.

Kara: The staff was also not pleasant at all. I didn’t think the pizza was really bad, but it definitely was just food - nothing special.

Next we ventured a few more blocks to “Old Bridge Gelateria” for yes - gelato! (After our Alice experience, I was scared!) It was another traditional walk-up establishment directly across from a Vatican wall. Kara ordered mixed berry, strawberry, & lemon; I ordered dark chocolate and strawberry. When I tossed a tip in their jar, the guys Dabbed! LOL! This gelato was YUMMY (if slightly overpriced - but location, you know) & more than made up for the terrible pizza!

Kara: Back when we decided to do this trip, I tried valiantly for about six months to pick up enough Italian to at least understand the basics. I wasn’t confident but I was really pleased at how kind everyone was as I tried out the language and how gentle they were in corrections of pronunciations. Both Luigi the day before and the guys at the gelato place were really nice to patiently let me try Italian. Nothing like my experience in Paris a few years back. Also, a note for a future trip should one ever occur to Rome - there is currently a great little sandwich and pasta shop right next to the this gelato place.

We returned to our meeting point (one of the official gift shops) where Kara picked up a number of items and I purchased needed postcards.

(A bracelet Kara bought me - to match my nails, of course!)

Due to the high tourist area, the streets surrounding the Vatican were full of pickpockets and street vendors pushing everything everywhere. We felt like a full picnic basket (especially with my checkered dress print) sitting on top of an anthill! Our guide finally led us to the Vatican’s “bus parking garage” and even here we endured musicians asking for money.

Sidenote: We invested in our first pairs of Chacos for this trip - wanting a sandal that would support a lot of walking. Since I customized mine in all silver metallic, and “when in Rome”, I took to calling mine...

At 3pm we began our panoramic drive through Rome, some sites I had seen, but not others. We were back on the ship by 5pm. (This port is HUGE and crazy! It must have taken us nearly 10 minutes to get to the ship after entering the port!)

Kara: As this was my first visit to Rome, I was looking forward to the tour part - even though it was just a bus tour. G and I are both watching the CBS show “Blood and Treasure” this summer and the pyramid was featured in it. Gayle is right about how enormous the port was - the last two photos are ones I grabbed as we were driving back into the port.

Back in our stateroom we found some delectable “VIP” cupcakes from our new bestie Zoe.

Tonight’s dinner was back in Lumiere’s with a new international menu (World of Flavor) we’d never experienced. I made no notes about this and only remember not being impressed. I believe my main course was disappointing salmon; the buffet salmon from embarkation day was better.

Tonight Kara ordered some hard cider, which they brought in a bottle. Not a beer bottle, but rather more of a full wine-size bottle. Okkkkk. The process worked the same that they would re-cork it and bring it back for the next night’s dinner.

The Beef Empanada was actually quite tasty!

The ship’s Cheddar Cheese Soup will never compare to Le Cellier’s, but pretzel bread is always appreciated!

The Sundae was also quite good. (I would have gotten the Sacre Torte, but don’t care for apricot.)

Kara’s normal dessert selection.

We completed our post-dinner tendency of getting ice, shower/hair, and ordering Room Service for cookies (& tonight “chocolate cake”, which was actually mousse, so Kara was NOT happy. Are we confusing this with a previous night???) For some reason the ship left 45 minutes late.

The evening show was “Junnk” (similar to “Stomp”). We’d seen it before and due to our busy schedule decided to watch it on the stateroom TV since they show the nighttime stage shows on the in-room TVs. Lesson learned: They apparently only show the Disney original stage shows (pre-taped) on the TVs, so no show for us!

Tonight was Pirate Night. As much as we wanted to embrace this cruise-specific offering and as the only cruise line having fireworks at sea, Pirate Night is a BIG DEAL! Yet with dropping temps, a wet/rainy environment, and notable winds, Mother Nature was prompting us to stay inside. When we saw the party didn’t start until 10:30pm (& knowing the fireworks wouldn’t go off until almost 11pm), we didn’t even try to pretend we were going. Instead we were barely able to stay awake for the fireworks, which we watched from our balcony (something Disney Cruise Line tells you NOT to do for safety). Yes, I broke a Disney rule. EEK! It’s the only one I break (& do so consistently. SHHHH!!!) We also know which side of the ship to reserve our stateroom just for this reason!

Disclaimer: I (Gayle) am a travel agent with Authorized Disney Travel Planner agency - Off to Neverland Travel. Contact me today for a no-obligation quote!

Next up: Florence, Italy!

#2019dclmed

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amcbrooks-blog · 5 years

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Celebrating gorillas at “the best Kwita Izina ever!” Rwanda’s gorilla naming ceremony

Gorilla tracking is said to be a “once in a lifetime” experience yet I love this primate encounter more and more each time

Oblivious to our presence, the Silverback mountain gorilla takes a snooze…

Did you know… if you track the mountain gorillas around the time of Kwita Izina, you can get a personal invitation to attend the gorilla naming ceremony?

Last week’s mountain gorilla tracking was even more exhilarating than the last time – but I’ll leave that story for another day. For now, imagine the calm here in Volcanoes National Park as a ranger guide watches a Blackback* male mountain gorilla …

*A Blackback will one day mature to be a Silverback gorilla.

I have huge respect for the rangers, guides and researchers on the ground who protect these beguiling creatures (and the porters clad in overalls and gum boots who effortlessly help us track).

What is Kwita Izina?

During the first week of September every year, celebrities from around the world touch down in Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park, to name the baby gorillas born in the last year in Rwanda. There is nothing like this anywhere else.

From early morning, thousands of young Rwandese throng to the event site. They wait excitedly for their favourite musicians to perform for them live, free of charge. It’s said 60,000 people attended Kwita Izina 2018!

Dancers warm up the crowd at Kwita Izina. Behind them is the gorilla-shaped stage crafted from natural materials

The Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony is an opportunity to publicly thank the conservationists closest to protecting these great apes. It’s also a global showcase for the country’s tourism industry. Gorilla namers include Rwandan and international conservationists, sports personalities, renown philanthropists and diplomats. Read my blog from a previous Kwita Izina, in which I explain the derivation of the term and the history of its creation.

According to East African tourism expert Carmen Nibigira, this year’s event was “the best event ever!”

Why is Kwita Izina such an important event for Rwanda and Africa?

Thanks to conservation initiatives like Kwita Izina, the Mountain Gorilla population in the Virunga Massif has increased from 480 in 2010 to to 604 in 2016 (results of last census). The Virunga Massif covers Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, and the Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In 1981, Mountain Gorilla numbers had dropped to just 242 individuals, according to the Rwanda Development Board. (Results of the latest gorilla census are expected to show a further increase in gorilla numbers. However the species is still classed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List).

Now in its 14th year, Kwita Izina has gone from being a one day gorilla naming event to a whole week of conservation and tourism related events. Tourism can be a powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty and Rwanda is pushing it at every level. One of the week’s events is the two-day Conversation on Conservation (CoC) forum in Kigali which takes a strategic look at conservation in the country.

What were the highlights of Kwita Izina 2018?

My 11 hour bus journey from Kampala to Kigali was worth every minute. Here are a few of the amazing people I met in Rwanda.

I couldn’t resist saying hello to fellow Brit Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, one of 23 celebrity namers at the Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony. I’ve always been a fan of his TV shows and environmental campaigns

Prosper Uwingeli is the Chief Park Warden of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Here I’m proudly holding my box of Rwandese tea 🙂

Prosper was very helpful when I was researching the ecotourism guidebook “Walking with the Gorillas” published earlier this year by Horizon Travel Press.

Click on this graphic to download a free copy of “Walking with the Gorillas.” I was lead writer / researcher on this ecotourism guide. Contributors: Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikuosoka, Ian Redmond OBE and Emmanuel Bugingo

Did you know … trackers are now given beautiful presentation boxes of tea or coffee – Rwandese of course! (These replace the certificates we used to be given). Gorilla tracking in Rwanda now costs a whopping $1500 per permit as Rwanda pitches the country as a high-end tourism destination.

The South African duo Mafikozolo performed live at the Gala Dinner held at the Lake Kivu Serena Hotel in Gisenyi. Theo Kgosinkwe was one of the gorilla namers. (Thanks to Priya and Mallick of Red Scarab for letting me photobomb their moment with him!)

It’s always a pleasure to see the tourism dynamo Carmen Nibigira (middle). Susan Muumbi (left) from the East African newspaper has been a wonderful travel companion from one corner of Rwanda to the other! Photo taken at Kigali Serena Hotel

Susan and I watched three lions in Akagera National Park, ate Sambaza fish on Lake Kivu, survived the jaw-dropping canopy walkway in Nyungwe Forest, and enjoyed a thrilling gorilla tracking experience with the Titus gorilla family.

I had the honour of meeting His Highness ‘The Green Sheikh’ Abdul Aziz al Nuaimi (centre). To the right is Dr. Edwin Sabuhoro of the Parks, Recreations and Tourism Management. Thanks for the introduction Carmen Nibigira!

The 2018 gorilla namers with Belise Karisa, Chief Tourism Officer of Rwanda Development Board

As each namer takes the stage, they read out the gorilla baby names in Kinyarwanda and English. It’s fun to try and record the names on these Baby Name Cards

Anyone can get a flavour of the Kwita Izina by visiting Vecotourism.org – one click and you are virtually there!

Here’s a full list of 2018’s gorilla namers. Information courtesy of RDB.

– His Highness Sheikh Dr. Abdulaziz Ali Bin Rashid Al Nuami, the ‘Green Sheikh’, has dedicated his life to traveling and environmental stewardship.

– Dr. Noeline Raondry Rakotoarisa is the Program Chief of Capacity Building and Partnerships Section for UNESCO/MAB (Man and Biosphere).

– Madame Graca Machel is the former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique. She is an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights.

– Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam is an American singer, songwriter, businessman, record producer and actor of Senegalese descent.

– Samba Bathily is a Malian philanthropist, He is CEO of Solektra International and co-founder of Akon Lighting Africa with Akon and Thione Niang.

– Alexandra Virina Scott is a retired English footballer who played as a right-back for Arsenal Women. She made 140 appearances for the English national team and represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.

Arsenal Football Club’s players will sport the VisitRwanda shirt sleeve starting from the 2018/19 season for three years. Photograph: Arsenal FC

– Laureano Bisan Etamé-Mayer, commonly known as Lauren, is a retired Cameroonian footballer, who played for the Cameroonian national team and Arsenal FC.

– Strive Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder and executive chairman of telecommunications, media and technology group Econet Wireless and Econet Media. Click here to read his great Facebook update about his experience at Kwita Izina.

– Adrian Gardiner. South African Adrian Gardiner is the founder and chairman of Mantis, a family-run collection of privately-owned hotels, eco escapes and lifestyle resorts, with a large presence in Africa.

– Michael O’Brien-Onyeka is the Senior Vice President of Conservation International for Africa, a non-governmental conservation and sustainable development organization.

– Thomas Krulis is the Coordinator of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and CEO, Loto Investments.

– Hong Liang & Xinyu Zhang. The celebrity couple host the popular online travel programme ‘Lu Xing’ (On the Road).

– Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall is the Vice President, Flora & Fauna International UK. He is an English celebrity chef, television personality, journalist, food writer and campaigner on food and environmental issues.

– Peter Riedel is the President and COO of Rhode Schwarz International, an electronics group specialized in the fields of electronic test equipment, broadcast & media as well as cybersecurity.

– Alexa Gray represents the Gordon and Patricia Gray Animal Welfare Foundation (a supporter / donor for the VNP Expansion Program through the Africa Wildlife Foundation).

– Michael Wale is the Group CEO of Kerzner International, a company that develops and manages luxury resorts, residences and entertainment resorts.

– Ambassador Peter H. Vrooman, US ambassador to Rwanda.

– Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria. (What a wonderful speech!)

– Theo Kgosinkwe and Nhlanhla Nciza. The duo, known as Mafikizolo, are three-time winners of the South African Music Award for Group or Duo of the Year.

– Rao Hongwei is the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China.

– Odette Nyiramongi is the proprietor of Paradis Malahide Resort, an eco-friendly hotel in Rubavu.

– Judith Kakuze, a former porter at the Volcanoes National Park, is now on the Advisory Committee of the Volcanoes National Park Porter Association.

– Jeannette Uwiragiye. In 2017, Jeannette graduated as the best female student in the Department of Forestry Conservation, IPRC- Kitabi.

I always come away from Kwita Izina inspired. Rwanda tourism knows no bounds.

A big shout-out to every one at Rwanda Development Board for attending to every little detail of our superb tour of what some call the ‘Singapore of Africa.’

A special thank you to Rosemary Mugambi and everyone at Serena Hotels who hosted us at the Kigali Serena and Lake Kivu Serena. Your fabulous facilities were a real treat.

Have you tracked the mountain gorillas? Have you attended Kwita Izina? What were your impressions?

The post Celebrating gorillas at “the best Kwita Izina ever!” appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu | Uganda & East Africa Travel Blog.

#KwitaIzina2018 VisitRwanda</p>

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nationalssquash · 6 years

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2018 Masters Finals

By Mike Jones

Following four days of intense action, fourteen new British National Masters champions were crowned at the Northern Squash Club in Didsbury.

Of the 17 finals played across as many age categories, the stand out game came in the MO45 group where it was a heated battle of brothers.

MO45

Identical twins Nick and Rob Staunton went head-to-head in the explosive final of the MO45.

Nick, who beat the No.1 seed in his semi-final was pushed to the limit in the opening two games narrowly winning both by two points.

It took its toll as Rob, ranked 5/8, responded with an 11-8 victory in the third.

The match became increasingly heated as the brothers battled for every point, but it was Rob who clinched the fourth 12-10 to set up a decider.

With the gruelling match already over an hour long, the tie looked to be over as Nick took a 6-0 lead in the last game.

However, Rob dramatically fought back, moving within two points of victory at 9-7, but it was Nick who found the extra inch finally winning 11-8.

He becomes the new MO45 National Masters champion taking the match 12-10, 12-10, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8 in 71 minutes.

“I played two years ago and got beat quite well,” said Nick after the match, “So I’m really happy, it means a lot.”

When asked how it felt to beat his brother in the final he replied: “I’d much rather it be somebody else, over the years we go through our phases, I beat him, he beats me and I’m just in the winning phase.”

MO80

Patrick Kirton, the reigning champion and the only man to ever win the MO80 faced off against John Woodliffe in the final.

Kirton, whose first of 17 masters titles came in 1982, looked under pressure early on as Woodliffe, the no. 2 seed won the first game.

However, Kirton drew on his many years of experience to stage a fightback against the 3-times masters winner and take the match 9-16, 15-8, 15-8, 15-12 in 30 minutes.

He becomes an 18-time masters title winner and has won the MO80 title twice in as many years.

MO75

2017 champion Adrian Wright faced a challenge from 3/4 seed William Wilson in the MO75 final.

Wilson, the 2013 MO70 champion, had other ideas and dominated the match winning 15-6, 15-6, 15-9 in just 23 minutes to be crowned National Masters MO75 champion for the first time.

MO70

Following his victory over the No.1 seed yesterday, 3/4 seed Philip Ayton was not as fortunate against the No.2 seed Barry Featherstone.

The 2017 champion had it all to do after losing the first game 15-10, as he strove to retain his title.

A close second game saw nine-time champion Ayton slowly pull ahead but with the score 13/8 in his favour he had to retire injured.

This handed the title to Featherstone as he became a four-time Masters champion.

MO65

No. 1 seed John Goodrich squared off against last year’s runner-up Terry Belshaw in the MO65 final.

Belshaw was in fine form taking an early 2-0 lead before Goodrich rediscovered the form he had been showing all week

In a closely contested third game Goodrich emerged victorious and never looked back.

Games four and five came and went with the No. 1 seed proving up to his rank by winning both 15-9.

From 2-0 down, Goodrich took not only the match but the title 7-15, 9-15, 15-13, 15-9, 15-9.

MO60

Whatever the outcome, the MO60 would see a new champion being crowned in a final between the top two seeds.

Allen Barwise [1] faced 3-times masters champion Ian Bradburn [2] and clinched the first game 15-13.

However, Bradburn drew level after a comprehensive 15-5 victory in the second, but Barwise was too skilful and he won the last two games 15-10, 15-7 respectively to become MO60 champion for the first time.

MO55

2-time MO55 champion Mark Woodliffe looked set to make it three in three as he faced 5/8 seed Greg Loach in the final.

Loach played valiantly in the first two games, but it was Woodliffe who claimed the victory.

A 3-0 (12-10, 14-12, 11-5) win sees Woodliffe be crowned champion for the third time in as many years.)

MO50

On paper a battle between the top two seeds in the category should be a close affair, not so in the MO50.

No 2 seed David Youngs made quick work of his higher seeded opponent Yawar Abbas, winning the match 3-11, 4-11, 3-11 in just 15 minutes.

This meant that 4-time champion Abbas took the runners-up position for the second year in a row and Youngs earned his first MO50 title.

MO40

46-year-old and No. 1 seed Jamie Goodrich faced the No. 2 seed Mick Biggs in a one-sided contest for the MO40 championship.

The first two games came extremely close with Biggs pushing Goodrich to the line. In the third, Goodrich turned up the heat to win the match 3-0: 12-10, 14-12, 11-5.

MO35

Peter Billson caused a huge upset in the MO35 as he defeated 2017 champion Andrew Whipp 3-0.

Whipp, the No. 1 seed was barely in the contest as no.2 seed Billson dominated throughout claiming an 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 victory and a National Championship to go with it.

WO65

Scotland’s Faith Sinclair fought No. 2 seed Bett Dryhurst in the deciding match of the WO65 pool.

With both women undefeated in the competition so far, the No, 1 seed showed her class defeating the 2016 champion 15-9, 15-9, 15-5 to take the title.

Dryhurst finished second in the pool with Sue Wastie third following her 3-2 win over Jane Hill.

WO60

In the WO60 4-pool no.1 seed Sian Johnson played no. 2 seed Karen Hume in what was effectively a final.

Both players were undefeated coming into the match and it was Johnson who made the early strike.

She took the first game 15-8 but Hume rallied and drew level after winning the second 15-12.

Wales’ Johnson then turned up the heat and took the last two games to win 15-8, 12-15, 15-9, 15-13 in 39 minutes.

Johnson took the title with Hume second, and Jane Law third following her 3-1 win over Lynne Davies.

WO55

In a contest of champions, 5-times master winner Mandy Akin faced the reigning WO55 champion Jill Campion in the final.

The top seed came out strongly, taking the first game 15-9 and Campion could find no respite as Akin was also victorious in the second.

A 15-6 win in the third meant that Akin became the new WO55 champion having won the match 3-0.

WO50

Top seed Rachel Woolford showed why she is the higher ranked of the two finalists as she overcame Kay Fallows in straight games.

Taking just 25 minutes to win 15-13, 15-7, 15-11 Woolford came back from 6-1 down in the third to claim her first WO50 title.

WO45

It was a clash of the top seeds in the WO45 as Shayne Baillie [1] met Andrea Santamaria [2].

Baillie took the lead against the 2017 champion, easily taking the first game 11-6 before following it up with an 11-9 win in the second.

Just as the finish line was in sight however Santamaria fought back and claimed the third 11-6 to spark a comeback.

It was not to be as Baillie edged a tight fourth 13-11 to clinch not only the game but the title.

WO40

2017 champion and top seed Keeley Johnson squared off against a fierce opponent in Rachel Calver for the WO40 championship.

Johnson stormed to a 1-0 lead before the no. 2 seed won back to back games.

After Johnson rallied to draw the match level it was Calver who came out on top – winning the match 3-2, (5-11, 11-4, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5) to be crowned the new WO40 champion.

WO35

No. 1 seed Lauren Briggs hoped to make it four championships in four years as she faced Amina Helal in the WO35 final.

She was shocked in the first game as Helal, the No. 2 seed powered to an 11-5 victory, but Briggs rallied and clinched the next three games to ensure her winning championship streak continues.

#2018 #masters

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marywoodartdept · 7 years

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Welcome back! This week we have Ceramics and Arts Administration major Emma Pilon. Emma is a senior (and former blogger) who has traveled to different places while at Marywood and tends to make large ceramic works (2-3 feet tall!).

Meet Emma

Name: Emma Pilon, Class of 2017

Major: Ceramics and Arts Administration

Minor: Art History

I am majoring in Art because: I really had no idea what I was going to study in school when it came time to go away, but beginning in high school, throwing clay was something that never failed to make me feel fulfilled. If you’ve touched soft, plastic clay before, you know what I mean. It’s so cathartic to manipulate clay in all kinds of ways. It was only when I got to Marywood and started interfacing with Professor Matt Povse (who’s since retired) and the clay studio, and the ceramics students that I started to understand not just how satisfying, but also how prosperous a career in ceramics could be. There was a whole craft world out there I had never known about. I abandoned my inhibitions about the uncertainty of a degree in art, focused on what could be with a little hard work, and never looked back.

The kinds of things that inspire me are: I’m inspired by a lot of things. I am a dual major so I find I draw a lot of inspiration from my other program of study – Art Administration – which has attracted me to modern and contemporary artists like Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Ryman, and Mark Rothko. I’m also inspired by contemporary craftsmen like Lee Kang-Hyo, Jean Michele Gerard, Jun Kaneko, and Lauren Mabry, as well as the greats that lived through the american contemporary craft movement, like Peter Voulkos and Paul Soldner and Don Reitz who, in short, helped bridge the gap between the art world of abstract expressionism and the craft world of ceramics. Take my word for it… you’re gonna want to look them all up! Still, at the end of the day, I am simply inspired by the medium. There are so many profundities in clay, like the way we manipulate it with our hands, tactilely, which make it so immediate and therapeutic and addictive!

My favorite class so far was: I’ve taken many classes at Marywood that made me so much more passionate than I could have ever anticipated. I think my nineteenth century and women’s art history classes tie for first place. Being able to take those courses in back to back semesters made making connections between the two pretty effortless, and the “Aha!” moments so satisfying. We have had so many challenging and engrossing conversations in those classes, and through a desire to understand the artists and their works, I feel increasingly successful as a more serious and independent researcher, being able to satisfying my mounting curiosities. Taking art history really tuned me into another sector of art that was and is outrageously fascinating to me.

When I’m not in class: I love to simply relax at home. I’ve recently found I love to cook, and try new recipes when I have the time and ingredients. If I want to get out though, I’m satisfied finding a cozy spot in one of the many homey coffee shops around the Scranton area, and in the winter months, skiing at Montage Mountain is always fun. I also like going to the gym. My work is growing in size; most of my pieces stand about two to three feet tall and weigh anywhere between 40 and 60 pounds, give or take, so I need the strength to get them from kiln to kiln!

The coolest thing I’ve done so far was: I’ve done a lot of cool things as a result of the connections I’ve made at Marywood and beyond, one being my three-month internship at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but I think traveling to Portugal for a short study abroad tops my list. I was hand-picked, along with one other student, by an art history professor to assist in gathering information from a collection of ancient Roman ceramic shards, harvested from the ruins of an archaeological site called Torre de Palma. For two and a half weeks, I worked as an assistant in the National Archaeological Museum of Lisbon, handling these broken pieces of ceramic, and learning first hand all about the various clay bodies indigenous to different parts of the Roman Empire. Together, we were even able to identify shards of the same material and reassemble about half of a lost Roman amphora. I felt so lucky to have experienced such an underrated European city (I’m convinced Lisbon is a best kept secret), and to have had the perfect opportunity to meld my two passions in the professional world – ceramics and art history.

When I graduate: I hope that when I graduate, I can continue to make my artwork, to cultivate a more mature portfolio, and learn more about operating a professional ceramics studio. I am currently applying for several internships, fellowships, and short term residencies at studios and craft schools where I can do just that, as well as continue to make connections with leaders in the ceramics field. I’m very interested in seeing different parts of the country at this point in my life as well, and would be thrilled to be moving towards an area where ceramics and craft may have a stronger presence in the minds of makers and consumers. I’m also very attracted to Philadelphia, and could see myself setting up something more permanent there in a few years, like a pottery business, or a potential career in the museum environment; or maybe even do both. But for the more immediate future, I want to develop myself further outside of academia. I’m willing to bet the real world is a pretty good teacher.

I’d recommend the Art program at Marywood because: You’ve probably heard it a thousand times over, but at Marywood, you are a unique individual, not a number. I find it very hard to believe that the same opportunities I have had the pleasure of experiencing here would be offered to me at a larger university, where I might be lost among the crowd, and competing to rise above my peers enough to be noticed. Professors bend over backwards for students who show even the slightest bit of interest, investigation, ambition, or passion. This genuine a connection between student and instructor, and even student to student, cannot be forged, and certainly helped me nurture what it was that made me motivated, and turn it into a career.

Some of Emma’s Work

14″x 14″x 22″

14″ x 14″ x 33″

13.5″ x 13.5″ x 26″

14.5″ x 14.5″x 24″

8.5″ x 5.5″ x 16″

14.5″ x 14.5″ x 28.5″

Thank you for sharing your work with us, Emma! If you want to see more of Emma’s work you can go to her website, Instagram, or Facebook for more!

Until next time!

~Jordan

Jordan introduces us to senior ceramics+artsadmin major & former blogger Emma Pilon in this week's student spotlight Welcome back! This week we have Ceramics and Arts Administration major Emma Pilon. Emma is a senior (and former…

#Art History #Arts Administration #Ceramics #Ellsworth Kelly #Emma Pilon #Lisbon #Mark Rothko #Marywood Art Department #Marywood University #Robert Ryman #roman empire #The Clay Studio #Torre de Palma #Where Creativity Works

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